Even though we are still in the midst of a global pandemic, designers still managed to display their colorful and unique clothing creations on the runway at the latest New York Fashion Week.  

With a compacted schedule this year, NYFW took place from Sept. 6 to Sept 11. Shows were scheduled on the hour, every hour from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Traditionally in previous fashion shows, there would be celebrities tightly lined in the front rows and attending after parties, but the current COVID-19 regulations instructed by New York State and the Council of Fashion Designers of American, Inc. have prevented in-person attendance and parties this year. Most shows were done virtually to support the event’s economic survival.  

There were over 50 designers on the schedule participating in a hybrid format, including Kate Spade, Rebecca Minkoff, Christian Siriano, Ralph Lauren and Coach. Emmy Award–winning actress Zendaya made an appearance to show her Tommy Hilfiger collection. 

The week began with Jason Wu, who showed his spring 2021 ready-to-wear collection during a live fashion show on the roof of Spring Studios. The show featured jewel-toned dresses and jumpsuits that brought bold prints to the focus during the week.  

Tom Ford, who became president of the CFDA this year, ended the week with the debut of his spring 2021 line. Ford chose to skip a runway show for safety measures and released photos of his collection instead. Ford’s collection, like Wu’s, featured bright colors and bold prints like flowers and cheetah print in styles for both men and women. 

In an attempt for the fashion industry to level the playing field for designers,  Endeavor Impact has launched NYFW: NXT, a free virtual training program to support aspiring artists. The online platform launched on Sept. 28 and will provide the necessary tools for young professionals to transition into their careers. With over 1,600 participants, the program will feature livestream conversations with industry leaders, as well as workshops and mock runway shows.  

Despite the COVID-inspired innovations of the city’s major fashion event, there are still many criticisms concerning the non-diverse body type selection to walk the runway. This is not a new criticism of the fashion world; the staggering decrease of sales and overall likability of Victoria’s Secret has led to major changes for the company. Even though the lingerie-powerhouse usually holds its own fashion show in December, it ended its annual lingerie parade last year when faced with backlash over the lack of diversity in the body types of their models.  

New York, Paris and Milan fashion week runway designers are heading in a similar direction when it comes to the lack of plus sized models in their fashion shows.  

With colder temperatures rapidly descending upon us, New York Fashion Week has given us some trends to look forward to when the warmer weather returns.